Movable partitions are utilized in numerous situations and environments for a variety of purposes. Such partitions may include, for example, a movable partition comprising foldable or collapsible doors configured to enclose or subdivide a room or other area. Often such partitions may be utilized simply for purposes of versatility in being able to subdivide a single large room into multiple smaller rooms. The subdivision of a larger area may be desired, for example, to accommodate multiple groups or meetings simultaneously. In other applications, such partitions may be utilized for noise control depending, for example, on the activities taking place in a given room or portion thereof.
Movable partitions may also be used to provide a security and/or fire barrier. In such a case, the partition barrier may be configured to automatically close upon the occurrence of a predetermined event such as the actuation of an associated alarm. For example, one or more accordion or similar folding-type partitions may be used as a security and/or a fire barrier wherein each partition is formed with a plurality of panels connected to one another with hinges. The hinged connection of the panels allows the partition to fold and collapse into a compact unit for purposes of storage when not deployed. Thus, the partition may be stored, for example, in a pocket formed in the wall of a building when in a retracted or folded state. When deployment of the partition is required to subdivide a single large room into multiple smaller rooms, secure an area during a fire, or for any other specified reason, the partition may be deployed along a track, which is often located above the door in a header, until the partition extends a desired distance across the room.
In some applications, it is desirable to provide a seal along the peripheral edges of the movable partition to improve the efficacy of the partition as one or more of a visual barrier, a noise barrier, a barrier to smoke or fire, a climate barrier, and a security barrier.
For example, it is known to attach an extruded strip of polymer material to the bottom of a movable partition such that the polymer material extends between the lower edge of the movable partition and the surface of the floor below the movable partition. The strip of polymer material is attached to the lower edge of the movable partition and is sized and configured to contact the surface of the floor, but is not attached to the floor. Thus, as the movable partition is moved relative to the floor, the strip of polymer material sweeps across the surface of the floor. As a result, those in the art often refer to such strips of polymer material as a “sweep” or a “sweep strip.”
It is known to attach a sweep strip to the lower edge of a movable partition using a plurality of clips, which are often referred to in the art as “sweep clips.” For example, on partitions that include a plurality of panels attached to one another by hinges, a clip may be attached to the lower end of each panel, and the sweep strip may be attached to each of a plurality of the sweep clips. Each sweep clip may be provided with a feature having a geometry that is complementary to the geometry of a feature provided on the sweep strip. Thus, the features on a plurality of sweep clips may be engaged with the complementary feature on the sweep strip to attach the sweep strip to the sweep clips and, hence, to the lower edge of the movable partition.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an example of a sweep clip 100 like those currently used in the art. As previously mentioned, a sweep clip 100 may be attached to each of a plurality of panels of a movable partition. The clip 100 has a back portion 102 that is used to attach the clip 100 to a panel of a movable partition. For example, one or more apertures 103 may be formed through the back portion 102, and one or more fasteners (e.g., rivets, bolts, or screws) (not shown) used to attach the clip 100 to a panel may extend through the apertures 103 (and through corresponding holes in the panel to which the clip 100 is attached). The clip 100 also has a base portion 104 that abuts against and at least partially covers a bottom surface of the panel to which it is attached. A feature 106 is provided on a surface of the back portion 102 of the clip 100 opposite the panel (when the clip 100 is attached to the panel). The feature 106 is configured to engage with a complementary feature on a sweep strip and is used to attach the sweep strip to the clip 100 and, hence, to the panel to which the sweep clip 100 is coupled. For example, the feature 106 may comprise one or more protrusions extending from the back portion 102 that define a channel therebetween that extends longitudinally along the back portion 102 across the clip 100. The channel may have a T-shaped cross-sectional geometry. The sweep strip may be provided with a protrusion or “tongue” having a cross-sectional geometry substantially similar to the T-shaped geometry of the channel of the feature 106 on the clip 100, such that the tongue of the sweep strip may be slid into the groove of the feature 106 on the clip 100 to attach the sweep strip to the clip 100.
The clip 100 may comprise an aluminum alloy material, and may be formed using an extrusion process. For example, aluminum alloy may be extruded through an aperture in a die having a cross-sectional shape substantially similar to the transverse cross-sectional shape of the clip 100 (as shown in FIG. 1B). After the extrusion process, the clip 100 may be further machined as necessary or desirable.